Love always needs work
by arina.dale
Summary: The daughter of the village council chief is given away as sacrifice to save the village. Rumpelstiltskin tries to stop from getting close to her, fearing that what happened with Belle will happen to her. Meanwhile, in Storybrooke, the librarian makes a deal with Mr. Gold as she tries to save the library. Rumpelstiltskin/MrGold X OC.
1. Chapter 1

Hello, this is my first fic on OUAT and I have to say that in here, Belle is actually dead, killed by the Evil Queen. This is after Belle and before Cinderella and in Storybrooke is before Emma came to town. I own nothing but my OC and some parts of the plot. Have fun reading and don't forget to review :*

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><p>The village was silent, the night thick around it, imprisoning it in complete darkness. Suddenly, a tremendous growl came from inside the woods, a sound that could freeze even the most courageous of men, a howl of death and illness, a curse that hit the small town every night. Trees were falling and the ground was shaking from the force of this being, a terrible monster, a beast that could not be stopped by any force other than magic. As it flew over the village, fire was spitting out of its mouth, burning everything in sight. The villagers ran and screamed, cowering in the cellars of their home. All the villagers were out of sight and safe, except two of them, the young girls of the village, Arina and her older sister, Abigail. They were just returning home from the woods, where they picked up some mushrooms and Arina hunted some pheasants for dinner, when the dragon came out of its hiding.<p>

"Abigail, hurry, we have to hide. The dragon is out again, we have to get home!" Arina said as she started to run towards the village only to be grabbed by Abigail.

"We can't sister, we would never make it, the dragon will see us. We would be dead before we would enter the village. We have to hide in the caves and return home in the morning." Abigail said as she pulled Arina towards the caves.

As the two girls were heading towards the mountains to hide in the caves, the villagers were having a different kind of discussion with a very powerful and cunning person, the Dark One, also known as Rumpelstiltskin. The village council decided that they had enough of this fowl creature destroying the crops and houses, ruining lives and killing more people than any plague, so as a last resort, they agreed to call the powerful imp for help.

"Rumpelstiltskin, I summon thee, I have a deal to make." The chief of the council said and soon enough with a poof of purple smoke, the creature showed his face.

"A deal you say? What could that be? Maybe get rid of a tiny pest or a plague; maybe find your twoo wuv?" The imp said giggling, his eyes searching the man's soul.

"I wish to make a deal...I want you to get rid of the dragon that is hunting and slaying my people every night. Can you do that, Rumpelstiltskin?"

"If I can do that?" he asked laughing "I can certainly do. The question is, what can you give me?"

"Anything, I will give you anything. Gold, jewels, cattle, anything." The desperate man said preparing himself for what the imp might ask of him.

"Anything, you say? Alright, I want, what I want is the youngest girl of the village, delivered to me, tomorrow, before sunset. Then, I will give you the secret to defeating the dragon. Do we have a deal?" Rumpelstiltskin giggled and laughed as he saw the pained and frightened face of the man in front of him.

"My daughter?! You want my daughter? Arina, my youngest one, or the village, is that the choice I have to make?" The man asked with tears in his eyes.

"Yes! Now do we or do we not have a deal?"

"We do, we do..."

"Sign right here, chief and your daughter will be mine and the village safe." As the man signed, the imp was almost bouncing in a fit of giggles.

The next day, after the dragon returned to its layer, the two girls arrived home after spending the night in a cave. When they entered, they saw their father lying on a chair, his face in his palms, looking like death itself. When the sisters saw him like this, they ran to him, kneeling next to him and trying to find out what made him so desperate looking.

"What is it, father? What happened that made you so upset?" Arina asked taking her father's hand into hers as Abigail took the other.

"Oh, my dear, I made a deal, an awful deal with the devil himself. I summoned Rumpelstiltskin last night and what he asked of me in exchange of the dragons death, I don't think I have the heart to give. He asked for my youngest daughter, that is you Arina. The deal is done, I have to give you to him today, before nightfall and he will tell me how to kill the beast." The man said, his voice breaking and tears streaming down his face.

"Then I shall go. If the deal it's done then I should pack my belongings before he comes for me." Arina said, the news seeming unreal to her.

"NO! I cannot let you go with him, Arina! Can't you give him something else?!" Abigail said tears streaming down her face as she held her sister in a tight hug.

"That is what he wants, Abi. He will not settle for anything else and I do not want the blood of my father's people to be on my hands." Arina said hugging her sister.

When the sun started to set, he came for her, a smile plastered on his golden-green skin.

He approached her, his face in front of her, his nose almost touching hers. Arina was frightened, almost terrified by the creature in front of her, while Abigail was disgusted and wanted to rip the being apart with just her glare.

"Well, are you ready to go, dearie?" the imp asked tilting his head to the side and giggling almost madly.

"Yes, I am. I just have one question, when I go with you, what will you do to me?" Arina asked as she looked down to the ground, the man in front of her making her feel inferior to him.

"Well, you will be my slave, so I will do anything I want to you!" He said smirking at her, the innuendo clearly heard.

"Why you despicable monster, if you touch just one hair on her head..." Abigail started but was stopped by her father who looked empty, almost vacant.

"The deal was made, my darling daughter, there is nothing that can be done."

"I am ready to go then, master!" Arina said, her voice almost dripping venom when she said master.

She was so scared of how her new life would be, of what he will do to her and even if he was such an awful creature , she found him interesting and quite intelligent. Maybe, just maybe, her new life won't be that bad.

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><p>So this is the first chapter, I will try and post daily until the 1st of October when I will start posting once a week. I love reviews so please don't be shy, just don't flame me, I write for the love of writing and if you don't like it you can tell it in a nice way.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

First, I want to thank all the people that followed/favorited my story. Secondly, I have kept my promise to keep them coming every day until October but you did not review at all. Come on guys, give me your opinion.

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><p>When we arrived at the castle it was not like I imagined, it wasn't dark and frightening, it was quite warm and cosy, the furniture a warm brown instead of a pitch black, how I imagined. In the living room there was a long table that had only one chair, I guessed he didn't entertain often. The curtains were all drawn except one; the one by the door was the only one letting sun come through. In the corner of the room there was a spinning wheel, the one Rumpelstiltskin used to turn yarn into gold. It was all so beautifully decorated that if I didn't know better I would have thought it was made for a prince.<p>

"Come now, your room is this way." He said grabbing my arm quite roughly and pulling me down the stairs.

I knew that there were no actual rooms where he was taking me, no castle has rooms in the basement, all of them have dungeons though. So he is going to lock me up and enslave me at the same time, what a wonderful life I will have. As we approached the last steps and saw the cells, tears started streaming down my face but I didn't dare make a sound, afraid of what he would do to me if he were to be angered.

"Now, now, don't cry, dearie. Look, you even have a friend in there with you!" he said as he patted my cheek and threw me in the cell where a skeleton was, grinning at me from his death.

"Oh, God! No, no, please, don't leave me here, I beg you please!" I screamed and I begged but it was too late for the door was locked and he was long gone.

I looked at the bones next to me and sorrow filled my heart, what if I were to die like this poor man, what if I starved to death, without water and food I could live for as long as three days.

"Oh, Abigail, my dear sister, where are you now? What am I to do? Will you even find out of my passing if I am to die in here alone? I so desperately need your advice and your soothing words but I am all alone and my life is in pieces." I said into the ether, hoping that somehow, I would see her again.

Night fell upon the land and just as it started to darken, the lock on my door opened and Rumpelstiltskin was at the door, giggling madly. I looked at him from head to toe, his golden skin shimmering in the small light. He was truly a beast, a monster and as intriguing as he was I was scared of him.

"Come now! You have to make and serve my dinner and also prepare my chambers for the night. Understand, girl?" he said taking me roughly from my cell and shoving me up the stairs with his hands.

When we reached the kitchen he told me what he wanted for dinner, roast chicken with potatoes and butter sauce and I have to serve it with red wine and white bread. As soon as he left I started preparing the meal, it took me 2 hours to prepare all the ingredients and when I put the chicken into the oven I ran to the dining room to put the glassware and cutlery on the table. When the table was decorated just the way I liked it, I returned to the kitchen and placed the chicken on the silver platter along with the potatoes, placed them on a serving tray with the gravy and the pitcher filled with wine and hurried to the table, ringing the dinner gong on the way there. When I reached the table, Rumpelstiltskin was already sitting down on the chair, napkin folded on his lap. I lay the food on the table and started serving him.

"Come now, sit down, have dinner with me." He said as he conjured a chair and plates right next to him.

"Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!" I said delighted that my hunger will be finally quenched and also happy to see a bit of humanity coming from the man.

As I sat down on the chair next to him and served myself from the delicacies on the table, he started to speak.

"I believe we have to talk about rules in my castle, don't you, Arina, dear?" He asked sweetly as he put the fork into his mouth.

"Yes, sir, I do... What rules do you have for me and can you tell me what my chores will be?" I asked looking down at my food, making sure to be respectful.

"Ah, a proper, proper lady you are. Too bad that no man other than me will ever experience them, such a pity. Now about rules: you can never go to the attic, never, you are to cook and serve all my meals and also join me at the table, the tea will be served at 4 o'clock sharp and you have to dress in this new gown I bought you." He said as he flicked his wrist and a dress appeared on me. It was green cotton dress with a white apron, simple but stylish and practical for work.

"Thank you, Rumpelstiltskin, it is quite beautiful. Will I also be in charge of cleaning and procuring you the yarn for your work?" I asked a smile on my face as I now looked at the man with different eyes as him, giving me a gift was not how I thought this dinner would go.

"Yes, you will and because I don't want you to be lost on your way here when you are bringing me yarn I will give you this." He said placing a bracelet upon my wrist. "This will tell me where you are at all times and if you try to run away, I will find you in a second." He said giggling and clapping his hands.

"I would never think of running away and break the deal you made with my father, it wouldn't be right, I never break my promises. Is the town far away, because if it is, I would be able to come back much faster with the aid of a horse and maybe even hunt a bit in the woods...if that is alright with you, of course." I said enthusiastically, feeling more at ease with the imp.

"Yes, I heard you are quite the skilled hunter and rider. It is said that you ride a horse better than any man and your sight is as good as an eagle's, quite the shot, ey? Maybe I can grant you a horse and you may hunt only after you finish all your chores in the house." Rumpelstiltskin said as he wiped his mouth with the napkin, throwing it into the plate.

"Thank you, thank you so much!" I said, forgetting my place for a minute and hugging the man tightly to my chest. As I remembered who I was hugging I blushed scarlet and looked down, the warm hug from before turning into awkwardness by the second.

"Yes, yes, quite welcome. Now prepare my bed for the night and you may rest in the chamber next to mine, I prepared it for you." He explained as he got up and started spinning the yarn into gold.

"Yes, sir, thank you, sir!" I said still blushing from embarrassment and rushing to his chambers to prepare his room for the night.

His room was dark, his bed made of dark massive wood. The walls were a dark red, almost burgundy colour and the drapes were pulled over the window. I pulled the dark green cover of the bed, folding it neatly and placing it into a drawer before I started fluffing up the pillows and finally making a fire to warm the room for the cold night. When I finished his room I went to inspect my chambers. My room was so different from his that I was slightly taken aback. The walls were a beautiful shade of green, the bed made of dark cherry wood and the sheets were shiny white. There was a desk and a dresser made of the same wood as the bed and it was all for me. Rumpelstiltskin has been so kind to me even though he didn't have to and that warmed my heart. I was sure that working for this man will bring if not happiness in my life maybe a bit of life in his.

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><p>So this is chapter 2 of my Rumpel story and hopefully, tomorrow there will be another chapter. Please review, pretty please :*<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, this is the third chapter in this series and I am really having fun with all of it. Enjoy and don't forget to review. Have fun.

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><p>The next day came and I woke up feeling refreshed, the comfortable bed made me feel happy and back in my home, in the village. It was early but I knew I had to get up and finish my chores as fast as I could so that I could go hunting today. I jumped from the bed and washed my face in the little bassinette that was in my room, dressed in my green dress and popped to the kitchen to prepare our breakfast. It was strange to say "our" breakfast when only two days ago I wanted to run as far away from this man as I could and now, now I am having meals with him. When I arrived in the kitchen I put my apron on and I lit the fire, deciding that today I was going to make pouched eggs and pancakes with syrup. In an hour the meal was ready and I started setting the table, this time for two. I went upstairs and into the room of my master, he was sleeping, looking quite comfortable and relaxed, he seemed so harmless and innocent that I nearly stopped myself from waking him up but I knew it had to be done if I wanted to go out today. I came closer to the bed and reached for his shoulder, when I touched him, he grabbed my arm and spun around so fast that he pulled me with him so that I ended up on the bed, with him on top, straddling me. I blushed hard and tried not to look at his face, especially his lips which right now looked really tempting.<p>

"And what are you doing in my chamber, dearie?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, raising an eyebrow, smirking at my embarrassment from our current position.

"I came here to wake you up and tell you that breakfast is ready but if you want to sleep longer, I can always keep the food warm until you wake up." I replied, finally finding the courage to look him in the eye.

"So nice of you to wake me up, then, Arina, love. I will come down for breakfast right away, dearie." He said, his voice raising and lowering from a word to the other, the sentence ending with a giggle.

Rumpelstiltskin got up from atop of me and washed his face, ushering me away so that he could get dressed. After we both ate, I started dusting the place, making sure to put everything back in its original position, until I reached a chipped cup, sitting on a pedestal. I reached to clean it, when his hands stopped me. When he touched me, I jumped and squeaked in surprise.

"Don't touch that one, poppet! That cup is to never be touched, understand?" He warned me, his voice dark and frightening.

"Yes, Rumpelstiltskin, I understand. I am sorry, I did not know." I replied, asking myself what could be so important about a chipped cup.

The hours ticked by and before I knew it, my chores were done, lunch served and eaten and I wanted so bad to ask him if I could go outside but I was afraid of his reaction.

"Rumpel? Do you mind if I go outside hunting so that I can cook some game for dinner?" I asked, talking really fast and hoping he would say yes.

"I guess you can, dearie, but be back by sunset. Your horse is waiting for you outside." He replied while spinning the wheel.

"Thank you, Rumpel! You are the best!" I said as I kissed his cheek and ran out the door, pulling a black cape on me in the process, leaving a stunned imp behind.

The horse was beautiful, his body covered in black shiny fur and as he neighed at me, I knew we would become great friends. I got up on the saddle and rode away to the forest. When I reached the forest, I grabbed by short bow and I started looking for any kind of edible animal that was in the area. After a while I saw a deer, prancing about in the woods and stopping from time to time to eat some grass. I pulled the string on my bow, aimed and just when I was about to shoot, a carriage ran by the road, scaring the deer and ruining any chance I had of caching it. The carriage was black, elegant and too expensive for anyone that was not royalty, plus, it was surrounded by guards, dressed in black, not a normal sighting in the woods. It was so curious that it captured my attention and I started following it from the shadows. Soon, I found out who was really in the carriage, it was the person I despised most, the Evil Queen. Snow White was a distant relative of mine and we sometimes messaged each other and she told me what that witch did to her and how she poisoned her with an apple. She was part of my flesh and blood so her enemies were my enemies.

While following the carriage, I failed to notice that the sun had set and that night now surrounded me in darkness. When I finally looked around, Rumpelstiltskin's words came to mind, I should have arrived home at least 2 hours ago. In a panic, I hopped onto my horse, Thunder, and rode as fast as I could back to the castle.

When I arrived, Rumpel was sitting at the table, dinner in front of him and he looked mad at me.

"I am so sorry, Rumpel. I did not mean to come back so late, I forgot what time it was and I got distracted by the Evil Queen and her awful carriage. I am so sorry, do forgive me." I begged as I approached the table probably looking like a child about to be scolded.

"The Evil Queen... You were distracted by the Queen, how?! What did she say to you?! How did she persuade you to kill me?! TELL ME!" he said as he got into my face, slamming me into the stone wall, bruising my back in the process.

"S-she never talked to me, ever! I swear! I am a distant relative of Snow White's and she told me what the Queen did to her and how she poisoned her with the apple. I just wanted to find out where she was going and what she was up to. I would never betray you, please, trust me. I want her dead just as much as you do." I stuttered, fear growing in my soul.

"So, you are flesh and blood with our little princess, eh? How exquisite to have royal blood as a maid, isn't it?" He said giggling as he released me from his iron grip and returned to the table.

"Do you forgive me, Rumpel?" I asked, kneeling next to his chair, taking his green almost scaly hand into mine.

"Yes, I forgive you..." He replied his hand cupping my cheek. I relished in the feeling of his warm hand on my face but he retreated his hand fast, as if it was burned.

"Can I please have dinner with you?" I asked somewhat ashamed of telling him I was incredibly hungry.

"Sit, sit! I made this so I hope you will enjoy it!" He said as he gestured for me to sit down, food magically appearing on my plate. I took a bite from it and flavour exploded into my mouth, it was exquisite and rich.

"It is delicious, Rumpel! You are an amazing cook! Thank you for the food and for forgiving me, even though you didn't have too." I said smiling sweetly at him, him winking at me from his seat.

It was so comfortable, this dinner. Even after the whole Evil Queen argument, I still felt safe sitting next to this man and eating dinner like it was the most normal thing in the world.

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><p>Okay, that was it! Next chapter is set in Storybrooke and will be posted tomorrow. Love all of you, buh bye! Don't forget to review, guys, I need the feedback.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter happens in Storybrooke and I need to give you some info: Ramona is Arina from fairy tale land and Sabina is Abigail. I really hope you like it,I tried to make it as realistic as I could.

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><p>The library was silent, well; the mornings were always silent in the library. I was putting some books back onto the shelf when the bell from the library's door rang. Ruby came in with two donuts and a huge cup of coffee, laying them on the reception desk.<p>

"Ruby, darling, what are you doing here? Isn't it a bit early for you to be up?" I asked smiling and going downstairs to greet her.

"Hey, honey! Well it's also too late for you to be awake seeing as you haven't slept all night. Reading all those books and being all nerdy again.

"Yes, well I also dusted and cleaned this entire place. It's hard doing it alone but I manage quite nicely, right?" I asked taking a donut and biting into it, sipping some coffee along with it.

"Yep it's quite nice and not as stuffy as the last time I was here. It smells like lemons what did you use for dusting, it's amazing!" she said grabbing the other donut and eating it.

"It's a secret, can't tell. By the way, I am so excited! Today the new book shipment will arrive and I can't wait to catalogue and read them. They are really old books and also need some mending so I am going to put them in the special book area, which will be restricted unless you have a pass. The library is finally coming together at last." I said smiling and looking around. This library was my most prized possession and I loved it more than anything.

"So, Ramona, any luck with love this week? Come on, I know you had this date with Sheriff Graham." Ruby said wiggling her eyebrows.

"Yea, it didn't go to well, I think that we just don't fit, you know? He is not my type and I am not his." I said tying my black wavy hair in a low ponytail.

"I am sorry...I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Oh, look at the time, Granny will have my head if I don't get there in 10 minutes. Bye, honey!" she said kissing me on the cheek and running out the door.

After Ruby left, I took my coffee and went behind the desk, typing the new placement of the books on the table. After about 2 hours of organizing the computer, I received and e-mail from the shipping company saying that because it was shipped from another country, I would have to pay 500 dollars for the delivery. I froze, I didn't have that kind of money, I barely had money for the books while keeping some for the rent. What could I do? And then I knew what I had to do, beg Mr. Gold to loan me some money, or at least let me skip the rent this month and pay it later. This was not going to go smoothly but I had no other choice. I put on the "Closed" sign, threw my black jacket on and let for Mr. Gold's shop.

When I entered the shop, it was void of any costumer and Mr. Gold was behind the counter, organizing some files, lifting his head when the bell rang.

"Aaa, Miss. Dale, how can I help you today? I am sorry to say that I don't have any new books in my shop." Mr. Gold said smiling as he headed towards me.

"Even if you had, Mr. Gold, I would have no money to buy them. That is the reason I came to see you. I need you to loan me some money, or maybe let me skip the rent this month. Before you say anything, I made a stupid mistake, I didn't look that the books I ordered for the library are being shipped from Europe and the tax for the delivery is 500 dollars, money I do not have. Oh, Mr. Gold, I don't know what to do...Please help me, I'll do anything." I said in one breath, my desperation catching up with me.

"So it's either your books or my rent, then? I will pay for the books, in full, if you do something for me. Do we have a deal, Miss. Dale?"

"Oh, yes, yes we do have a deal and please, call me Ramona, Mr. Gold. What do I have to do?" I ask fidgeting under his scrutiny.

"Well, I just had to fire my maid because she was stealing from me and I was thinking you would do quite nicely. You will work Monday to Friday from 4pm, when you leave the library, to 9pm. It is only until I find a new proper maid. Does this suit you, Ramona?" He said coming even closer, the emphasis on my name making shivers roll down my spine and his closeness making me feel dizzy.

"Yes, of course, it works just fine. Thank you, Mr. Gold; you have been so kind to me." I said smiling and getting out of the shop, nearly jumping with joy, until I realized I forgot to ask him something. Running back to the shop, I opened the door and slipped my head inside, making Mr. Gold raise an eyebrow at my childishness.

"I forgot to ask, Mr. Gold, do you mind if I start today?" I asked blushing at my foolish behaviour.

"If you so desire, yes, you can." He said smiling and turning back to his work.

Having an easy day at the library, I decided to close one hour early and head home for a bit, to grab some clothes fit for cleaning and to tell my roommate, Sabina, where I was going.

"Sabina, you in, honey? I am going to Mr. Gold's house until 9. I made a deal with him, he will pay the books and the shipping fees and I have to work as his maid until he finds a replacement. He was so nice and kind that if this continues I will end up fancying him." I said throwing my purse on the coffee table and going into my room to grab the spare clothes.

"You are going to MR. GOLD's?! What the hell is wrong with you, honey? And so you know, I think you already fancy him, I mean, look at that top you are taking, it has such a deep cleavage. Do you want to give the man a heart attack?" Sabina said as she appeared in the door, leaning on its frame.

"Ha ha, laugh all you want but today, Mr. Gold was my prince in shining armour in a way and I have to repay him for his kindness, it's only fair, don't you think?" I replied stuffing clothes into a duffel bag.

"Yea, you have to repay him with your generous cleavage...right...maybe he will give you a cute French maid outfit. That would look cute on you." Sabina said jokingly, giving me a hug.

"I have to go now. Have fun all alone and if you cook dinner, please keep some for me, okay?" I said hugging her and heading for the door.

"Yea, yea, darling. True love will set you free and remember don't do anything I won't!" She yelled from the kitchen.

When I arrived at Mr. Gold's house, I was a bit taken aback. It wasn't huge but it was quite big and imposing. I knocked on the door and Mr. Gold himself opened, inviting me in with a gesture.

"I hope you found my house without any problem. The forest road can be quite tricky, you know." He said as he took my coat and put it on the hanger.

"Yes, the road was quite alright, it hadn't rained in a while so it's dry and not so slippery." I said, blushing yet again at his gentlemanly gesture.

"Come through here. I saw that you brought a change of clothes. You can change in here." He said ushering me into the service bathroom.

After I changed my clothes and got my cleaning supplies, I started to wonder where I should start. Soon, I chose that the best thing to do was to clean the kitchen first and work my way all over the first floor. It was such a big house that it seemed impossible to clean all the first floor in 5 hours but I hoped I could make it work; after all, I had a big debt to pay.

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><p>That was it, guys, see you tomorrow with chapter 5. Hope you enjoyed it and don't forget to review, please. Seriously, I will stop if I don't get at least one review. ]<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 is out and about. I hope that this one will bring the reviews to my story. Have fun reading.

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><p>The kitchen was beautiful and quite modern for a man who dealt in antiquities. The cabinets were made of wood, the colour a warm brown, the counter was made of granite and in the middle of the room there was a small round table with only two chairs. There was also an island, separating the living room from the kitchen; it was made of stainless steel and glass, an odd combination of old and new.<p>

"Maybe I should start with the dishes, clean the counter and stove and finally move to the floor" I said to myself as I picked up the rubber gloves and the sponge and started washing away. Without thinking I started humming a random song, moving my hips to the rhythm.

"Quite a beautiful sight, you are and quite the lovely voice." Mr. Gold said from behind me, startling me and making me drop a glass, the object shattering to the floor.

"Oh, Mr. Gold, you startled me. Thank you for the compliments. Oh, I am so sorry about the glass." I said kneeling to pick up the broken pieces, cutting my hand in the process.

"Careful, you cut yourself, here, let me help you." He said taking my hand gingerly and leading me to the bathroom.

"Mr. Gold, you don't have to, it was my fault and I think I can manage it." I said as he made me sit on the edge of the tub as he grabbed something from the first aid kit.

"Hush now. It will sting a bit but it will feel much better later, okay?" He said as he unscrewed the bottle, pouring a bit of the liquid on a cotton pad and gently dabbing it on my cut. As soon as the substance hit my skin, I hissed in pain, retreating my hand involuntarily, only to be pulled back by his warm hand.

"Sit still or it will hurt more." He said as he took the bandage and wrapped it around my hand, tying it up gently.

"Thank you, so much, Mr. Gold. I am sorry I ruined your glass and I made a mess on my first day, I guess I am not such good of a maid as you thought." I said smiling at him, feeling quite happy with his hand on mine.

"Well, I did startle you, Ramona. It's quite fine; the glass didn't mean anything to me, so no harm done. Now, back to work, darling, there are still 3 hours till 9." He said, letting go of my hand and leaving me alone in the bathroom.

The cleaning was a hard job to de seeing as the house was so big, but at the end of the day, I was able to complete the first floor. When 9 o'clock hit, I was already dressed in my normal clothes and ready to leave.

"Oh, I see you finished the first floor, it sparkles with cleanliness. Now, as it is late, I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me, here, if that is okay with you." Mr. Gold said as he came closer to me, looking me in the eye.

"I-I, w-well, I would be honoured, Mr. Gold, thank you for the offer but I will have to decline tonight. My roommate, Sabina, already cooked dinner. We can dine together tomorrow, if you don't mind." I replied, blushing and feeling a bit awkward under the stare of Mr. Gold.

"Sure, Ramona, we can dine tomorrow. See you at 4.30 then. Have a good night." Mr. Gold said as he opened the door to his house to let me out.

"Good night, Mr. Gold, see you tomorrow." I waved and got into my car and drove off.

When I arrived home, Sabina was already waiting for me with the dinner. She made pasta with Bolognese sauce and it smelled divine.

"Hey, honey, I see you were busy making thins wonderful dinner, eh? Hope you didn't burn yourself." I said jokingly and went to the fridge to get a bottle of wine.

"I didn't hurt myself, no, but I see you have, what happened?" she asked uncorking the wine and setting it on the table, filling her glass first.

"I just dropped a glass and foolishly went to clean it up with my bare hands. I swear, when I am next to that man, it's like I lose all my ability to do anything. By the way, guess what, he asked if I would have dinner with him tomorrow night." I told her as I took a bite of the pasta.

"Ewe...isn't he kind of old for dating a 23 year old? Is it actually a date or just you know dinner?" Sabina said, her face scrunching up in disgust.

"Don't make that face, it will stick that way. He is not that old and, to answer your question, I don't know if it is a date or not, I mean he looked like he was asking me on a date but with Mr. Gold you never know. I kind of hope it is a date, this man is a mystery and you know how I like to unravel them." I said taking a sip of wine and lighting up a cigarette.

"Oh, now you want to unravel Mr. Gold, how kinky. I never knew you were so naughty." She said taking the dishes and putting them into the sink.

"You know I didn't mean it like that! I don't know what I feel about him yet. "As I finished my sentence, a bell could be heard, a clock bell. I looked out the window and there it was, the clock tower, it started working again. What a weird day it was today.

"Hey, Sabina, look at that, the clock is working again, how nice." I said gazing at the tower, something was changing and I could feel it, I just didn't know what.

"Yep, I always thought it was irreparable but now I see it fixed itself in a way." Sabina said as she washed the dishes.

"I am off to bed, honey, I am absolutely spent. I will leave early so breakfast will be on the table when you get up for work. Good night!" I yelled from my room as I got dressed in my PJ's and fell on the bed with a thud.

"Night, darlin'!" was the last thing I heard before sleep took over.

"Beep, beep, beep, beep!" my alarm clock rang, making me groan.

"Oh, God, I hate mornings!" I groaned as I got out of bed and hopped in the shower. I changed into a baby blue dress with a black cardigan and cream coloured flats and went into the kitchen, making some French toast with cinnamon sprinkled on top and some fresh coffee. After I ate and drank, making sure to leave some for my sleeping roommate, I went out the door and straight to the library.

"Miss. Dale, Miss. Dale! Wait up, please!" I heard someone calling from behind me. When I turned around it was Henry Mills, the mayor's son.

"Good morning, Henry, how may I help you, sweetie?" I asked the boy as we now headed together for the library.

"I found my mother, Miss. Dale, my real mother and she is here and I want you to meet her, seeing as you are my best friend and all." Henry said taking my hand and jumping up and down in excitement.

"Really, Henry? That is wonderful and of course I would be delighted to meet your birth mother. When you want me to meet her you know where to find me. I will be at the library until 4 o'clock. Now, run along if you don't want to be late for school." I said smiling as I unlocked the library door.

"We'll be here at 2 o'clock, I promise! Have a nice day, Miss. Dale!"

"You too, Henry, take care." I replied as I finally entered the building. I started thinking, if Henry's birth mother was in town and Henry was so excited about it, I could only imagine how pissed Regina was and somehow, that made me really happy. I wondered if Henry's real mom would be able to handle Regina's wrath when the time came. I guess things were really changing in Storybrooke and for the better nonetheless.

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><p>The rule is 3 chapters in the Enchanted Forest and 3 in Storybrooke. Hope you liked reading it and as always, don't forget to review. See you tomorrow.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

So, Ramona, finally meets Emma in this one. I hope you like it and enjoy reading it. I love feedback so if you have the time, please review.

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><p>When 2 o'clock struck, the door to the library opened and Henry came in with a blonde woman. She looked about 30 and had a confident walk. She resembled Henry and that made me sure that she was really his birth mother.<p>

"Hello, Miss. Dale! See, I told you I will bring her by at 2. Emma, this is Miss. Dale, the librarian and one of my best friends. She gives me books all the time and lets me stay here when I don't want go home." Henry said looking at his mother and smiling.

"Hello, Miss. Dale, nice to meet you, I am Emma Swan, please call me Emma." The woman said shaking my hand.

"It's a pleasure and please, call me Ramona. It's nice to see Henry smile again and be so happy. I hope you can take on Regina's wrath because she is quite an evil person. If you ever need any help you can always contact me. By the way, I was just about to take my lunch break, would you like to go to Granny's for a hamburger and to talk a bit more?" I asked the woman as I took my coat and prepared to close the library for an hour.

"Yes, sure, lead the way, Ramona. Come on, Henry, don't forget your back pack." She said as we left for Granny's.

When we arrived, Ruby was cleaning up some tables and Granny was taking care of the cash register. It wasn't full but it was pretty packed because of the lunch hour and we found a table in the back of the diner, quite a while away from the counter.

"There are a lot of people in here today, huh? Quite full for a small city diner." Emma said looking around, scanning the people from the restaurant.

"Well, Granny's is the best diner here, the hamburgers are amazing and the ice tea is perfect, plus the prices are reasonable comparing to other places in this town." I replied signing Ruby that we were ready to order.

"You can ask Ramona anything about anybody, she knows all about the people of this town. She is like Mr. Gold when it comes to knowledge of the town's people." Henry said taking a big gulp out of his hot chocolate.

"Don't exaggerate, Henry, I don't know quite everything. I am just curious about people and love psychology, which is all. Plus, Mr. Gold is much more invested in this town than me, so he has to know everyone." I replied putting my ice tea back on the table.

"So, why don't we test Henry's theory? What can you tell me about Regina Mills, the mayor?" Emma said quite interested in the subject.

"Well, she is really powerful and she likes to bully everyone into making the decisions she wants. In a few words, she is a control freak, if something doesn't go her way, she goes insane and destroys the one that made her angry. I don't really know why, but for some reason, Mr. Gold can get away with almost anything, even with angering Regina." I answered, smiling at Ruby as she placed our hamburgers on the table.

"So, how important is Mr. Gold for this town? Why is he so powerful?"

"Well, he owns the town, almost. He is really rich and influential. All the town pays him rent so if he doesn't like you, you are evicted with no place to stay anymore. He seems quite mean sometimes but he has helped me a lot with rebuilding and restocking the library so I have to thank him for everything I have." I replied taking a bite out of my food.

After the delightful lunch, we parted ways, Emma and Henry going toward Regina's house and I towards the library. When I reached the door, it was open, the glass broken. I went in carefully, making sure to make no sound but when I took another step, a piece of glass broke under my shoe and alerted the perpetrator who was still inside. I gave out a yelp as he ran at me, throwing me to the side, in the pile of glass, my skin breaking as it made contact with the sharp pieces. Before I could get up, he was out the door and out of sight. When I got back to my senses, I took out my phone and called the sheriff, quite in a panic.

"Graham! Come to the library, now! Someone broke in and I am also pretty hurt, he threw me in some broken glass. I don't know if he stole anything, I can barely stand up." I explained, my hands shaking and my legs feeling like jelly.

"I'll be right there, Ramona, take care." He said as he hung up.

I leaned on the wall as I got up, careful not to damage my arms and legs even more and decided to go and see if anything was stolen. When I reached the back of the library, I saw what he was looking for was in the vault but he was unable to open it until I went in on him. When I saw that, I took out my phone and dialed the number.

"Mr. Gold, I think you should come over to the library. Someone broke in today and wanted to steal something from the vault. The only things that are in the vault are the things you gave me to put there." I explained through my labored breathing.

"Did they take anything? And more importantly are you alright?"

"I have a few cuts and bruises because he pushed me to the ground and I fell in some broken glass but the good news are that he didn't steal anything."

"I will be right there, wait for me and I will take you to the hospital."

"Yes, Mr. Gold, the sheriff should be here soon too." I said as I hung up the phone.

After 10 minutes, Sheriff Graham was at the door, opening it with care as to not damage it further.

"Ramona are you here? You alright?" he asked as he searched for me with his eyes.

"I am here, I am what you would call fine, just a little scraped and bruised but I will be fine."

"Good, do you need to get to the hospital or something? You are kind of bleeding on the floor." The sheriff said looking at me from head to toe.

"Mr. Gold is on his way and he will take me to the hospital after you are done pulling prints." I said wincing when a cut brushed against my clothing.

"Okay, then, I will start getting the prints and you can come tomorrow and give a declaration. Is anything missing?"

"No, nothing is missing, I came in before he could take anything." I replied as I observed Graham take the prints.

"I am done now. Are you sure you want to wait for Mr. Gold? I can take you to the hospital right now."

"Yes, I am sure, plus some of the books here are his and I want to ask him if anything is missing from his collection. I don't understand why someone would break in, I don't keep any money in here and the books are valuable but not enough to steal them." I said looking around at the mess my library became in just 2 hours.

"I'll see you tomorrow at the station then. Go have those cuts looked at, ok?" the sheriff said as he left.

In a few moments, Mr. Gold came in looking rather worried. When he saw me his eyes widened.

"Ramona, are you alright? You look awful, we should go to the hospital right after I open the safe to make sure everything is in there." He said taking out a key and opening the vault.

"It's still here, thank God!" he said in relief as he took out something. It was an irregular dagger with something written on it. It was ancient looking and when I looked closer, on the dagger it read Rumpelstiltskin. When I saw it, I suddenly got very dizzy, grabbing my head, I fell to the floor, the last thing I saw before I went unconscious was Mr. Gold's face, morphing into something with greenish gold skin and hen my eyes closed, my mind welcoming the darkness.

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><p>That was chapter 6, hope you liked it. The next three chapters will take place in the Enchanted Forest, so get ready for it! If you liked it and want to, please give a review. Buh bye!<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

This one is a little bit longer than usual but I hope it is good. The action in this one happens 3 moths after the last Fairy tale world chapter. Have fun reading!

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><p>Today was a gloomy day, the sky was dark and clouded and the wind blew heavily, it was a day that made me feel depressed for more than one reason, but the main one was that Rumpelstiltskin was away on business, making deals God knows where.<p>

I was stuck cleaning the castle with orders not to leave the premises until he would return. I just finished scrubbing the dining room floors, when I noticed the door on the left. It was covered with curtains and somewhat hard to notice. I approached it carefully and too a peek inside and then, I opened it completely, mouth agape. I was the most beautiful library I have ever seen, bookshelves reaching the ceiling, filled with books and in the center of the room a couch and two chairs, covered in red velvet. I came closer to the bookshelf and let my fingertips pass over the cover of the books and then I stopped, a book getting my attention. It wasn't a magic book, it was one full of romantic stories, and not the kind you would find in Rumpelstiltskin's library. Taking the book, I sat on the chair and opened it, the stories in it bringing me to another world and making me lose track of time.

I finally stopped reading when I heard someone knocking at the front door. I was surprised to say the least, no one comes to visit Rumpel and so I armed myself with the broom stick and went to the door. As soon as I opened it I was ready to pounce and hit the person right in the head.

"Whoa, Arina, stop! It's me, Abigail! Be careful with that broom, you can poke somebody's eyes out with it." My sister told me as she gave me a bear hug.

"Abigail….What on Earth are you doing here? Does father know where you are? You will get so punished when you go back home." I said smiling and inviting her in.

"Yes, he knows. I have some bad news to tell you, I am afraid. Come, you will have to sit down to hear this." Abigail said as she took me by the hand and gave me a nudge to sit down on the library sofa.

"What is it? What news could you bring that would be so bad?"

"It's our grandmother, she has fallen ill and is currently on her death bed. She is asking for you, Arina, to see you one last time before she passes." She said, almost in a whisper, her hands holding mine, as fresh tears formed into my eyes.

"Oh, what am I to do? I will talk to Rumpel and see if he would grant me three days away from the castle to see her." I replied, hugging my sister close.

She suddenly pulled away and looked at me funny, tilting her head to the right as she tried to decipher something on my expression.

"You, you like him! You actually like being here. This is not torture for you because living with him makes you happy. You were glowing when I first saw you and it's not because you were happy to see me, it's because you are in love, with a monster nonetheless!" Abigail exclaimed, making me feel ashamed of my emotions towards Rumpelstiltskin.

"Maybe I do like him, he is a nice, kind person, he treats me well and he may be endlessly flawed but he is certainly not a monster, Abigail." I said, looking her in the eye, my gaze fierce and strong.

"We will see about that, if he is not a beast then he will let you come see your dying relative, if he is one, he will keep you locked up in here forever." She replied glaring at me.

Just as I opened my mouth to reply, the front doors slammed open and Rumpel walked in giggling.

"Honey, I am home! Oh, look, you have brought a surprise for me." He said as he waved a hand and Abigail flew from the sofa and slammed into the wall with a thud.

"Rumpel! Don't hurt her, please, I'll explain everything, just let her go, please." I said getting between him and my sister, my hand flat on his chest and my eyes, glued to his.

"Come now, explain first then I will think about letting her go." He replied looking somewhat happy towards the contact between my hands and his chest.

"She came here to tell me that my grandmother is on her death bed and asking for me to come and see her for the last time. Will you please let me leave with her for three days? I promise I will come back as fast as I can after I say goodbye to her, please." I pleaded with the man in front of me, his expression never wavering.

"I will grant you three days to say good bye to your grandmother, if you promise that you will come back and that when you do, you will help me by knitting a blanket out of the golden thread I make." He said looking away from me, sadness appearing just for a second on his features.

"I promise, Rumpel! I will always come back to you, I swear! It will be an honor to knit your golden thread." I said hugging him and kissing his cheek.

His hold on my sister finally released and she fell to the ground with a soft thud. She looked at us weirdly and got up slowly.

"We should go if we want to arrive to our village by nightfall. I'll go pack some clothes, I'll be right back." I said leaving the two of them together in the library.

As I was packing my bag, little did I know what discussion was taking place downstairs, in the library.

"My sister admires you, she actually likes you. I will tell you this only once and take it as a warning. If you hurt her, if you break her heart, trust me when I say this, I will find a way to kill you and I will go through with it because the most important person in my life is her and I am not about to let her get hurt by the likes of anyone." Abigail said, the glare that she sent Rumple cold and hateful.

"I don't intend on breaking her heart, dearie, as you can tell, I like her being around me, she keeps my house clean and I can talk to her without holding back, so you will never have to act on your threat." Rumple said giggling and holding Abigail's icy gaze.

"I hope, for your sake, that you keep this promise." My sister replied, taking her eyes away from the imp and pretending the talk didn't happen when I walked back in with my bag.

"Are you ready to go, Abigail?" I asked putting on my forest green cloak and pinning it down with a worn safety pin.

"Yes, I am ready, I'll be outside, getting my horse ready for the trip." She said exiting the castle.

"Arina, come here, I have something for you. I hope you will like it." He said as he waved his hand and in his palm appeared something.

Coming closer to him, I blushed as his hands reached for my cloak, unclasping it and tying it back up with a beautiful golden broche, with sapphires that formed an A in the middle of the jewel.

"Oh, Rumple, it's beautiful. Thank you so much! You gave me so many gifts that I don't know how to repay you." I thanked him, smiling brilliantly at him.

"You can repay me by coming back to me. Now go, your sister is waiting for you." He said as he let go of my cloak.

I grabbed his hand as he was about to leave and did something that actually surprised me. I wrapped one arm around his neck, the other resting on his chest and kissed him. The kiss was sweet and innocent, it was my first kiss and I chose to give it to him. After a few moments he started kissing me back, deepening it and making it more passionate. Finally, we had to pull away to breathe. He looked almost surprised, like he expected something bad to happen during the kiss.

"The curse didn't break, I still have my powers and nothing has changed. It was clearly true loves kiss but why did it not take my powers away?" he asked himself, looking at his hands, just to be sure that the curse didn't break.

"Maybe it is because I don't see your powers as a curse, because I like you just the way you are." I said as I hugged him.

"Goodbye, Rumple! See you in three days. Take care while I am gone, okay?" I said giving him a short kiss and leaving the castle.]

When I got to the stables, Abigail had already finished with her horse and was waiting for me impatiently.

"What took you so long?! I've been waiting here for 15 minutes to say the least." Abigail said, her hands on her hips and a prissy look on her face.

"Dear sister, that's for me to know and for you to never find out." I replied as I got on my horse and rode away in front of her.

"And, what's that supposed to mean?! Arina?! Come on, tell me!"

"Never, darling, never." I yelled from in front of her as I sped up my horse. How I love keeping secrets from her, I thought to myself as I rode into the forest, the sun setting beautifully ahead.

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><p>Hope you liked it. If you want, please leave a review. See you next time.<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry for the late update but I bought a new laptop and it took a long time to transfer everything. So here it is, chapter 8. Hope you like it. Warning, it is sad and there is character death in it, so get out your tissues.

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><p>The road to my grandmother's village was bumpy and hard to follow but fortunately, just as the sun set and the night had started to fall, we arrived safely to the house. It was frosty outside and even with my cloak on, I felt the chill of the night. The house was dark from outside, just one light came from the widow on the second floor. We entered the old house, took off our clothes and I went up to greet my granny while Abigail was making tea.<p>

The bedroom was poorly lit and quite dusty, the smell of looming death strong in the air. My grandmother was lying on the bed, sweat on her face and she was coughing quite nastily.

"Arina, is that you darling? Oh, my lovely granddaughter, come closer, let me take a look at you."

"Oh, grandmother! I missed you so much and I am so sorry that you are so sick. I should have come earlier." I said hugging my grandmother to my chest, feeling how much weight she lost because of her sickness.

"You look wonderful my love, you are glowing with love, tell me now, who is he, the one that captured your heart?"

"He is a very powerful man, that some may find evil or even disgusting, but oh, grandmother, I really know him, deep in his heart, he is such a kind and gentle man. I love him with all my heart but I think that you won't like who he is or his reputation." I said holding her hands into mine.

"What is with all this mystery, love…tell me already. I promise I won't judge your decision." She said with a smile that was interrupted by a fit of coughing, tiny drops of blood falling on the handkerchief.

"His name is Rumpelstiltskin, also known as the Dark One. Grandmother, are you alright, there is blood on the handkerchief."

"I am quite fine, darling. So you are in love with the deal maker. Let me tell you something, if you love him, if you think it is true love, go for it! No matter what other people say, what you feel for this man is more important then everything." She said kissing my cheek than falling back on the bed, exhausted by the little movement she made.

"Thank you for the advice, granny! I will cherish it all my life. Now, I will let you rest, you seem exhausted." I said and then went down the stairs, to the kitchen.

"Oh, Abigail, she looks worse than ever. I really do not think she will be able to survive this. She is the closest thing I have to a mother and now I have to part with her, forever. It seems unreal." I said sitting down at the rustic wooden table and sipping from my cup of tea.

"I know how you feel, darling, but remember that she is old and suffering, prolonging her life would not only be selfish but cruel as well." My sister said picking up her cup and holding it between her hands, warming herself up.

"I guess you are right, Abigail but she will miss so much. I want her to meet Rumpel and to have her present at my wedding, when my first child will be born. It's unfair not to have a mother figure present in these important moments of a person's life."

"Maybe you will not have a mother figure but I will be there, always by your side when you need me." Abigail said squeezing my hand reassuringly.

After a fitful sleep on the worn sofa in the small living room, I finally woke up. It was beautiful outside even though it was a bit chilly so I decided to do some laundry today to take my mind of my problems. I gathered every single piece of clothing that even resembled being worn, took them in the garden, soaking them in a bucket of hot water and soda and started scrubbing them by one everything was cleaned, rinsed and hung to dry. When Abigail finally woke up, my work was done and I was ready to cook our breakfast.

"It's kind of late to wake up isn't it, darling? Had a rough night?" I asked looking at her from head to toe and seeing how tired she looked.

"Yes, you could say that. I couldn't sleep at all and our grandmother was asking for water every hour. It's exhausting to take care of her." She said rubbing her eyes and yawning loudly.

"Tonight I'll take the night shift, okay? I know it's hard and I will help you as much as I can on my stay here." I said drying my hands on my white apron.

"Thank you, darling. Now, what do we have for breakfast?" Abigail asked, changing the subject.

Just as night came and Abigail fell asleep, the nightmare started. Screams of pain coming from upstairs, shaking me to the bone. I ran upstairs and my grandmother was moaning in pain, her body failing her as she couldn't eat for days. Her stomach burning and the acid making her ask for water, again and again. I stood by her side, giving her water and reading to her, trying to calm her down and then, when the sun rose, she gave her last breath, her suffering finally over.

"Abigail, Abigail, wake up! She's gone, Abigail, wake up, please! I don't know what to do…" I said, my voice cracking as I shook my sister awake.

"She's gone already, Arina? Oh, I am so sorry you had to witness that, darling! Come on, I will make you some tea and then call the undertaker to help me with the burial." She said, rubbing my back and leading me to the kitchen.

When she came back and started making plans for the burial, I knew I had to get out of there, to just run, to get home as fast as I could. After I found out the date and hour of the burial, I got on my horse and left, without saying goodbye. I had to get to him, I had to see him before I broke down completely. So I rode as fast as I could, not caring that the tree branches were whipping my face.

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><p>Hope you liked it and that it didn't make you too sad or anything. I know I promised to update everyday but this week will be a bit crazy for me so I don't know if I'll be able to keep my promise but I will try my best. Until next time, I bid you farewell. :D<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

So this is chapter 9. I worked on it quite hard seeing as today I had a bit of writer's block. As I said in the previous chapter, I do't know if I will be able to update everyday this week. Hope you like it and if you want, reviews are always welcome.

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><p>When I reached the castle I was spent, the shock of my granny's death combined with the hard ride made me exhausted physically and mentally. I hopped off my horse, took him to the stables and entered the castle, throwing my cloak on a table. Rumpel was sitting at his spinning wheel, turning yarn into gold, when I ran to him and hugged him from behind, sobbing on his shoulder.<p>

"What is it, dearie? What happened?" he asked, stopping his work and turning around to look at me better.

"She is dead, Rumple. She died last night, on my watch. Oh, it was awful! I am so scared and I don't know what to do. After the undertaker came and the funeral date was set, I ran out of there as fast as I could. I couldn't handle it, I panicked and I ran. It was so foolish of me, now that I think about it." I said looking him in the eyes.

"I see that you didn't care if the branches scratched your face either. You are full of scratches and dried blood." He said as he waved a hand and my bruises and the blood was gone.

"Oh, thank you, I guess I was in such a hurry to get back that I didn't even feel them. The funeral is in three days, in my village and I wanted to ask you if you would like to come with me. She would have wanted you to come, please." I said kissing his cheek while holding his hands.

"I'll think about it. I will give you an answer after you finish knitting the blanket you promised." He replied giving me a short kiss on the lips.

"Alright, I will knit for you and when I finish I will have your answer but first, let's have dinner, I am sure that cooking will take my mind off of the incident." I said going to the kitchen to cook us a nice roast with mashed potatoes and butter sauce.

After the uneventful dinner, Rumpel started spinning again and I stood next to him, needles in hand and started knitting the golden blanket. After a few rows of knitting a bang was heard in the castle and then the doors of the dining hall slammed open and the Queen walked in, she always knew how to make an appearance.

"Oh, Rumpelstilitskin! I see that you have a new maid, how lovely! After what happened with the last one I thought you would have given up." She said smiling evilly and looking at me from head to toe, examining me like I was some sort of vermin.

"She is not my maid, dearie. Now what do you want, your majesty?" Rumpel asked getting up and sheltering me from the Queen.

"Now, now, Rumplestiltskin, don't be so rash, I am not here to hurt anyone, I am here to make a little deal with you. I want to know where a curse it, you know it, it used to be yours, the curse that will destroy everybody's happy ending and bring me mine." She said smirking evilly.

"That is a very powerful curse, dearie, why do you want to use it? No matter, I will give it to you. What I want in exchange is that you will never as long as you live harm me and Arina, in any way and by any means. Do we have a deal, your majesty?" Rumpel said following her movements with keen eyes.

"Yes, it would seem that we do. Now, where do I sign again?" she asked smiling and getting ready to sign.

"Right here, dearie." Rumpel said as he waved a hand and a long parchment appeared. "On the dotted line, if you please. Now, your little curse is with your darling friend, Maleficent. Have fun taking it away from her."

"Oh, and just so you know Rumpelstiltskin, the Charmings are complotting against you with Cinderella and her husband. They are going to use a special quill to trap you with magic. Just a heads up, you know, between fellow villains." She said as she left the castle, slamming the doors behind her.

"This woman likes slamming doors, doesn't she? Why did you tell her where the cure is? You are much more powerful than her, you could've said no." I said looking at him while holding his hand.

"Well, I may be more powerful than her but you, my love, are not. You are now my weakness and I can't let her get to you because if she does get to you she gets to me too, dearie." He said as he covered my hand with his.

"I can't compromise you in such way Rumpel. We have to do something about it and I have just the idea." I said kissing his lips gently.

"Oh, really, love, and what would that be?" he replied kissing me back.

"Well, you could teach me magic. That way, I will never be unprotected and open to attacks or threats coming from people like the Evil Queen. Do you think it's a good idea?" I asked a bit nervous at my proposal.

"It is a great idea, Arina, but do you think you can withstand the training? It will be pretty hard dearie, seeing as I specialize in dark magic." He said looking me in the eye, searching for the answer.

"Yes, yes I am. I am tired of being helpless and waiting for others to protect me. I am old enough to protect myself and it is time I learn how." I told him, fully confident in my abilities.

"Alright, then, dearie, we will start your training tomorrow, hope you are ready for it, though." He said sitting back down and spinning the wheel yet again like the conversation never happened.

So, I also sat down and knitted away, thinking about the training. Would it be that bad? Will it involve any kind of killing or maybe torture? I shivered at the thought but I knew what kind of man Rumpelstiltskin was and I chose to love him just as he was so why back down now? Maybe I was afraid to see what he was really capable of.

"What is wrong, dearie, you got silent all of the sudden?" Rumpel said, still spinning the wheel.

"I was just thinking, will the magic change me? Like it did to the Queen or like it did to you? Will I become evil or will I be able to preserve myself as I am now?" I asked finishing another row of knitting, trying not to look at him.

"Well, love, that depends solely on you. If there is pure evil anywhere in your soul, it will change you. The change depends of how much evil is truly in you." He said never stopping his work.

Was there any evil in me and if there was, was it enough to turn me into the next Evil Queen or will I remain the person I am now?

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><p>Thank you for reading chapter 9 and I hope I will see you tomorrow.<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry for the long wait but as I told you I have a bit of drama in my life right now and I am trying to straighten things up. I hope you will enjoy reading this new chapter and if you so wish, please leave a review. This chapter is set in Storybrooke.

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><p>I could hear the beeping of the machines, the itchiness from the needle stuck in my arm and the warmth of a hand holding mine. My mind stopped for a moment, where was I, what happened? Then I remembered, I passed out in the library, Mr. Gold was there, taking some sort of knife from the library vault. I tried to move my fingers and wiggle my toes but I was so tired, even though I slept a lot I felt like I haven't rested in days.<p>

"Ramona, can you hear me? Are you awake?" I could hear Mr. Gold's voice and forced myself to open my eyes.

"Mmm, yeah, I am awake…but I am so tired. What happened?" I asked, my hand reaching for my head as it started pulsing in pain.

"You passed out. The doctors say it's because you hit your head on the floor when you fell. How are you feeling?" he asked, concern twinkling in his eyes.

"I feel like I was hit by a bus. How long have I been unconscious?" I asked, my voice raspy and my throat sore.

"You slept for two days but the doctors say it's normal and that you'll be fine." Mr. Gold replied, bringing a glass of water to my lips.

"Thank you. Please tell me you haven't stayed by my bedside for two days." I said shocked that he was even here.

"No, Sabina and I took shifts. She was here all day yesterday and I am here today. Now, get some sleep, you seem exhausted. I'll go call Sabina and be right back, okay?" he explained, heading out of the room.

"Okay…say hi to her from me, Mr. Gold. Tell her I am feeling fine and I'll be there, annoying her, in no time." I joked as I turned on my side and fell into a deep sleep.

In my dream I was in a different world, surrounded by a luxurious forest, birds chirping and squirrels jumping all around. It was so beautiful but there was someone there with me, he looked like Mr. Gold but he had greenish gold skin and he was a bit shorter than Mr. Gold. He was lying on the grass beneath a big apple tree and was munching on one of the fruits. I went to him and sat between his legs, resting my head on his chest, my eyes roaming the sky.

"Rumpelstiltskin, do you think our plan will work? That if you get trapped by Cinderella I'll be able to come to you, to your cell?" I asked, holding his hand in mine.

"Yes, dearie, I am sure. You just have to cast the spell I taught you, turn into a bird and fly right through the bars." He explained, gesticulating more than was needed.

"I don't want us to be apart. I still don't understand why you have to let them capture you, to me it seems something foolish to do, my love." I said, turning to look at him, kissing his lips gently.

The next scene was in a dark cell, it was cold and damp and you could easily get sick in a place like this. Rumpelstiltskin was sitting in the corner of the cell, scribbling something on a piece of paper.

"Here, love, is the name of the savior, she will break the curse that the Queen will cast and save us all. Her name, dearie, is Emma. She'll be the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, the product of true love." He said giggling, the time in that cell making him seem insane.

"Rumpel, look! What is that?!" I asked frightened, a purple cloud of dark magic coming our way.

"That, dearie, is the curse and it's coming right for us. Hold tight, Arina, love." He giggled, pulling me closer to him.

The smoke covered us and it was trying to pull us apart, I was trying to hold on to him but the curse was too strong and it tore me away from him, my own screams being the only thing I could hear.

"NO! Oh, God, no!" I woke up screaming, my eyes searching for him, for anyone.

"Ramona, calm down, I am right here, darling. What happened?" Sabina asked, hugging me, wiping away the tears from my face.

"I had the most awful dream! It seemed so real, Sabina, it felt so real! Where is Mr. Gold? I want to talk to him, where is he?" I asked in a panic, the dream affecting me more than it should have.

"He went down to the cafeteria to get us some coffee. He should be back soon. Why do you ask? Did the dream have something to do with him?" Sabina asked, taking my hand.

"I don't know, I think so but I am not sure. I have to talk to him first." I said calming down a little bit, taking the glass of water from the nightstand and taking a sip.

"Doctor Whale said you will be allowed to leave tonight and that you may experience some dizziness and headaches for the next three to five days but there will be no permanent damage." Mr. Gold said coming in with two coffees.

"That is great news, Mr. Gold. What about my cuts, will they scar?" I asked him, looking down at my bandaged hands and legs.

"They won't scar but the long one on your leg may leave a faint mark. Are you alright, Ramona, you look nervous, did something happen while I was gone?" Mr. Gold asked, looking between me and Sabina.

"Well, I had an odd dream and it kind of scared me. You were there but you were different, a bit shorter and you had greenish gold skin and your name was Rumpelstiltskin. It was a weird dream and when I woke up I had a little panic attack but now I am fine, especially after the good news you gave me. Do you think that dream meant anything?" I asked Mr. Gold as I stole Sabina's coffee and took a long sip.

"I am sure it's nothing to be worried about. It may be from the concussion you suffered, by the way, I nearly forgot, Sherriff Graham and Deputy Emma want to talk to you about the incident at the library." Mr. Gold explained as he finished his coffee and threw it in the trash.

"Deputy Emma? I didn't know she was offered that job, Regina must be boiling with anger by now." I said looking at Sabina with a smile.

"I am sure she is planning her revenge right now and I really hope Emma is ready to fight back if needed." Sabina said as she grabbed her coffee cup from my hand, sending me a slight glare.

"I should get ready to get discharged then, I will see you both after the nurse finishes unplugging me from all this stuff." I said as the nurse came in with a tray of new bandages and the release forms.

"I'll be right outside if you need me, Ramona." Sabina said as she went out the door, Mr. Gold right behind her.

"Unfortunately I won't be able to stay, there is work to be done in the shop but, rest assured, I will come visit you tomorrow." Mr. Gold said, leaving the room.

As he went down the hall, he couldn't stop himself from smiling, Ramona remembered something, she was dreaming about their old life and he couldn't be happier.

"So it begins, so it begins…" he said, laughing as he exited the hospital, kicking the doors open with his cane.

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><p>I hope you liked it and that I will be able to post everyday again. Until next time, please review if you can and don't forget to stay tuned for the next chapter.<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

Hey, guys, sorry for the delay but I had a rough weekend and some writers block. Here is chapter 11. Thank you to all the people that reviewed/followed/favorited my work.

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><p>The sun was shining, the birds were chirping and all I wanted was to take a shot gun and kill them all. After three days of bed rest I felt like I was going insane. The mere thought of staying another four days in bed was making me crawl up the wall and Sabina only made it worse with all her fussing and nursing. For God's sake I had a bump on my head and a few scratches, I didn't get mauled by a bear, but nothing worked, she was making sure that I stayed in bed and ate only healthy foods and that my blood pressure never went up, in a few words, my life was a boring mess.<p>

"Sabina, just stop! Stop! I can handle it, I am not handicapped, I just have a bump on my head, I think I can fold my laundry myself. Go to work, your pub is waiting for you. Go, now!" I said, more like yelled at her as I shoved her out the door of my bedroom.

"But, Ramona, the doctor said one week of bed rest. You can't force yourself, it will only make your health worse." Sabina said, trying to reason with me, but you can't reason with a mad person.

"Laundry will not kill me, darling. Now, go before I kill you." I said smiling and shutting the door in her face.

"Okay, okay, crazy woman. I'll be home at 12 a.m., don't do anything stressful and if anything happens, call me, I'll have my phone with me all night." She said as she took her bag and left the flat.

After she left, I finally had the thing I prized most, solitude. I started folding laundry, washing the dishes, ironing, basically, doing anything I could to escape boredom. When the house was sparkling clean and the laundry was all ironed and folded, I realized I had nothing left to do, so I did what any girl would do, eat a lot of ice cream. Just as I finished a tub of chocolate liquor ice cream, the doorbell rang. I looked at the clock and saw that it was only 8 p.m. so it couldn't be Sabina, she would be still at work. I opened the door just a bit and saw that it was Mr. Gold, his hands full of paper bags. Oh, crap, I looked like something the cat dragged in, my curly hair appeared electrocuted, I had no makeup on and was still in my PJ's. I brushed a hand through my messy hair and opened the door completely.

"Good evening, Ramona. I hope I am not disturbing you from anything. Sabina told me you're alone tonight and I thought I should bring you something to eat." Mr. Gold said, sitting on the door still, waiting for me to invite me in.

"Oh, where are my manners? Please, come in, Mr. Gold. I have to say I wasn't expecting anyone tonight so please excuse my outfit." I replied smiling and inviting him in, closing and locking the door behind him.

"No problem, I find it quite refreshing. I promised you a cooked dinner before the accident didn't I? Well, I am a man of my word and tonight I am going to cook some shrimps with breadcrumbs and spices. You eat sea food, right?" Mr. Gold asked, taking out the ingredients for the lovely meal he was going to prepare for me.

"Yes, I eat sea food…but, Mr. Gold, you don't have to do this for me, or at least, let me help a bit." I said blushing at his kindness.

"No, no, no, Ramona. I promised you a meal cooked by only me and so shall be it. Now, let me open this lovely wine and then you will taste it as I cook. It won't take long, I promise." He said popping the bottle and taking out two wine glasses, pouring the red liquid into them.

"Thank you, Mr. Gold. You are so nice to me, you're making me blush."

An hour and two glasses of wine later, I was quite tipsy and the dinner was served. The shrimps looked amazing and the smell of spices made my mouth water.

"You are quite the cook, Mr. Gold. This looks amazing, next time I will be the one cooking, deal?" I asked taking a seat at the table and taking a bite of the shrimp.

"Deal, darling. But only if you will let me take you to the Miner's fair." Mr. Gold said eating slowly then taking a sip of the lovely wine.

"Are you asking me on a date, Mr. Gold? Because if you are, I have to warn you, Sabina says that I am a crazy woman." I said jokingly, never going through my mind that Mr. Gold was being serious.

"Well, Ramona, I have to say that I am indeed asking you on a date. If you don't want to go I understand." He replied, looking at me with almost predatory eyes, making me shiver.

"No, that is not the case. I just never thought that you would consider dating me, that's all. I would like it very much, going on a date with you, that is." I blushed getting up and gathering the dishes, getting ready to clean them.

"I am happy to hear that, Ramona. Here, let me help you, you wash, I'll dry them." He said getting a rag and started drying the dishes.

After finishing them all, I started putting them back in cupboard, getting on my tip toes to reach a higher shelf when Mr. Gold came behind me, grabbing the glass from my hands and putting it on the shelf, leaning over me in the process. I turned around, looking him in the eyes, he leaned closer to me, his hands going around my waist, his cane propped on the table and his nose touched mine, our lips so close, they were almost touching. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and I grabbed him behind his neck, pulling him close to me and kissing his lips. The kiss was passionate, rough almost, he pulled me up and placed me on the counter, his hands rubbing along my spine, making me shiver.

Just as I was about to take his neck tie off, the front door slammed open and Sabina came in, tears running down her face and looking quite heart broken. I pulled away from Mr. Gold and ran to Sabina, hugging her.

"Sabina, look at me, look at me! What's wrong?! What happened?!" I asked, my fingers wiping her tears away.

"It's Graham, oh, God, it's horrible! Ramona, he-he's dead…"

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><p>That was chapter 11, everyone! I hope you had fun reading it. We had a steamy kiss going on in there, didn't we? Please review if you have the time.<p> 


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